At House of Cannabis in SoHo, finding enlightenment without lighting up
WNYC News | Apr 12, 2023
After dark in SoHo, a neighborhood newcomer calls attention to itself with glowing green light. It’s called the House of Cannabis, or THC–NYC. At a time when weed shops are budding up all over the city, this permanent space is about showing the plant, not selling it.
The five-floor establishment, which opened on April 7, includes 10 immersive exhibitions. Visitors can learn about marijuana's impact on pop culture, fashion and even wellness. One room shows the plant at different stages in its growing process. Another compels you to lie down on a spinning wheel, to be transported to another world while listening to weed-inspired music. (The plant’s distinctive aroma is restricted to only a select few spaces.)
The experience is intended not only to entertain, but also to educate. In a room called the Forum, five large screens play videos of people who ran into trouble because of drug possession. To bolster community, the House of Cannabis is providing employment to formerly incarcerated people through a partnership with A Second U Foundation. They’ll also have artists in residence every few months who will create work inspired by marijuana
